July 2011

The cost of the U.S. business logistics system jumped up 10.4 percent in 2010, making up more than half of the preceding year’s decline. But don’t expect gains like this to continue as the economy begins to slow and all four transportation modes scramble to make adjustments during this period of unprecedented volatility.

Whether driven by reducing costs or by new business strategies, our panel of experts says that rethinking your distribution network has become more important than ever.

By setting reasonable goals, the converter and packager of cheese products upgraded its antiquated TMS, reduced its LTL shipments by nearly 30 percent, and brought its carrier relations into the 21st century.

Over the past several years, the hair care manufacturer his tied its core business systems into a WMS that’s allowed it to effectively manage its high-volume shipping operation—and the results have been simply gorgeous.

The elimination of required cargo liability insurance by the FMCSA now forces shippers to independently verify the existence of the policy and nature of the coverage held by their carriers. Sound time-consuming? Our transportation law expert offers some practical advice.

Challenges remain, but carriers prove resilient

Carriers get their house in order

Steady growth on the rails.

While North America’s great ocean cargo gateways are heavily reliant on containerized throughput, major and minor ports alike are not letting go of their bulk and breakbulk operations. Indeed, many of them are coming to regard this basic piece of their portfolio as a value-added service.

Tight capacity, more regulation, major concerns

Time to cash in on rates?

Executive education programs today are focusing on the “hot” supply chain topics. Here’s a look at what’s available and how you can take advantage of these offerings.

As we turn the corner towards a lasting recovery, we’re reminded of the columns that we wrote in the recent past signaling the shifts in partnerships between shippers and transportation providers—specifically on the rates and services “dance” and potential capacity tension.

OPEC failed to revise production quotas, and upon learning of this decision, traders quickly bid the price back up

Earlier this year i wrote about the winds of change affecting LTL pricing in North America. If shippers and carriers are going to take advantage of pricing deregulation then they have to work together to disaggregate, cooperate, and automate.